The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Mets’ Alonso has big birthday wish
NEW YORK — Move over, Polar Bear. Mr. December is heading for Queens.
Pete Alonso understands that the 2020 baseball season — if there is one — will be different. The season may run deeper into the calendar year to accommodate for more games. It is expected to begin without fans. It may even feature modifications like the universal DH or seven-inning doubleheaders.
All of those scenarios sit well with Alonso because he just wants to get back on the field. And if the season is so delayed that the Mets first baseman is playing baseball in December, well, Alonso already has a goal earmarked for that special month.
“I’d just be happy to play
baseball. I hope we can play more than 100 games this year,” Alonso said Thursday during an interview with Tony Dokoupil on CBS This Morning. “Whatever cards are dealt, we gotta play them because this is an unprecedented time. As a baseball player, I will never hit a home run on my birthday. If I get to hit a home run on Dec. 7, that’d be crazy.”
Alonso, 25, has been stationed in Tampa since spring training came to an abrupt end in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ever since, he’s been working out at a private gym and staying “locked in” as he waits for Major League Baseball to announce a potential date for Opening Day.
“Not having something that is a dear and loved part of your life — it’s so frustrating,” Alonso said. “Sports in general, people rely on them so much because it makes them feel good inside. Having a sports season, it’s like the sun goes up and the sun goes down. It’s almost that reliable.”
With professional sports on standby, many fans, including Alonso, have turned to replays and highlights from previous seasons. The Mets first baseman said he often reflects on his historic rookie year — one that saw Alonso leading the major leagues with 53 home runs. The 2019 season culminated with Alonso winning the National League Rookie of the Year award and the Mets finishing with an 8676 record — good for third place in the NL East.
Now, Alonso is waiting for the chance to build on his early success.
“2019 was my favorite season of baseball I’ve ever had in my life,” he said. “Seeing everything put together as a whole just really put a lot into perspective because the 2019 season was like a spark for our organization.”
That spark may have to catch fire without fans in the stands — at least at first. New York City has been hit the hardest by COVID-19 and industry leaders are still navigating how to best proceed under the circumstances. It helps the Mets that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is all-in for a 2020 baseball season. Cuomo said he spoke to Mets COO Jeff Wilpon last month about playing baseball without fans.
Even though Alonso coming up to the plate without thousands of fans cheering him on or chanting his name seems almost incomprehensible, it’s actually a familiar setting for the first baseman.
“We didn’t really have many fans in the minor leagues coming to games. We’ve played in front of some empty stadiums before,” Alonso said.
The first baseman’s ability to find a silver lining in any given hardship is underscored by his effort to give back.
Alonso and his fiancee, Haley Walsh, recently launched a nonprofit foundation called Homers for Heroes that aims to honor “unsung heroes” — like teachers, coaches, medical professionals, first responders and veterans — by shedding a light on the important work they are doing.
Homers for Heroes focuses on donating money to local schools, community centers, food banks and law enforcement.
“From the early stages of this pandemic, Haley and I wanted to help everyone that was immensely impacted by COVID-19,” Alonso wrote in a message on his website. “We feel that we need to step up and help in any way possible. As the world has shifted, we’ve been reminded of our most basic shared value — All of us depend on each other for a healthy community.”